(The
Page 4
Fortiani» (Obstruer
September 7, 2011
nothing she hadn’t already men­
tally surpassed.
Forced off her feet, Mosley could
still do two things— rehab and
tighten up her diet. Abiding by the
magic rule, 23:1, which was offered
by her trainer Steve Shore, one hour
at the gym meant 23 hours fighting
the temptation to overeat.
Toning her upper body and
journaling her food intake, a limping
c o n t i n u e d f r o m front
Mosley feasted upon fruits, veg­
•
etables, and foods rich in protein.
pounds lighter and happier. Her
She lost 10 pounds. Realizing that
secret: mindful dieting, cooking at
eating healthier is half the struggle
home, control and awareness of the
of weight loss, Mosley fine tuned
ingredients she eats, and habitual
her own raw foods cooked from
exercise.
scratch only and no boxed meals.
As a product and survivor of
PHOTO BY C a RI H a CHMANN/T h E PORTLAND OBSERVER
“Diet is so key to all of this,” she
childhood obesity and author of the Using healthy ingredients she finds at her favorite local produce store, Chrisetta Mosley has
said.
blog, ‘Farewell Fatso,’ Mosley is successfully changed her eating habits to drastically lose weight.
Last year, Mosley began host­
delighted to share her journey with
ing cooking classes from home for
thousands of supporters. She be­ ated high school, she weighed 300 fits-all desk-chairs of her class­
remained the same. However, with her close friends. Now, on a mission
lieves she spent her entire life fat for pounds. “It was who I was,” she rooms, making it an embarrassing
the help of surgery, M osley’s kept to motivate the overweight to eat
a reason. “I was put in this body to said.
ritual to have to call ahead and ask her weight at 300 pounds for the healthier, she plans to teach a
share my story,” she said. ‘‘And I
College was a turning point. administration to switch her class to next five years.
monthly class at her favorite local
hope it will inspire someone else.” When Mosley decided to study jour­ a disabled-friendly room.
Then,
in
a
week’s
whirlwind
of
sh o p p in g m ark et, C h u c k ’s in
Growing up in the early 1980s, as nalism and move to Seattle with her
In a moment of deep reflection, unfortunate events, she and her Vancouver.
a chubby-cheeked, sticky-fingered 7-year-old daughter, she was 30 Mosley concluded, “I didn’t want
boyfriend broke up, she was laid off • Featuring “versatile foods” like
little girl gobbling up Hostess cup­ years out of shape and weighed 350
to be that person anymore.” Unsat- her job, and her car was stolen, and lettuce wraps, Mosley shows how
cakes and apple-filled pies in a
easy it is to eliminate carbs in a diet
seven-child household, Chrisetta
by using lettuce instead of a bun or
Mosley was the exception to obe­
tortilla, “I got P.F. Chang’s beat,”
sity — fat, but oh-so cute.
she said.
Today, there are obese children
Now a fearless healthy food ex­
everyw here- not so cute. One in
perimenter, Mosley says raw food
three American kids and nearly two-
is the solution, pre-packaged “crap”
thirds of adults are obese or over
is the enemy, and “if it costs 99
weight, according to the U.S. Sur­
cents, it’s probably not good for
geon General, with rates climbing
you.” On the top of her shopping
faster than McDonald’s can plop
list, fruits and vegetables; and on
another double-arch in strip malls pounds. Moving around campus isfied with her weight and uncon-
the never-eat list, carbonated bev­
across the country.
was like getting stuck in quicksand trollable eating habits, she decided
erages and basically, anything she
Mosley says she has never been everyday- she could barely climb to act quickly and had gastro by­
doesn’t make herself.
“a normal-size person,” but as an stairs, walk, or breathe, and her* pass surgery in July 2004.
Though Mosley follows her diet
adolescent, she was plenty loved knees ached.
“It was like a drive through ATM
90 percent of the time, she isn’t a
and never teased and people ac­
Humiliation struckhard when she approach,” she said, “It was fast
complete health Nazi, “I don’t want
cepted her as fat. When she gradu- failed to squeeze into the one-size- and involved no work,” but her diet
to
abuse food again, but I do want
Once 388 pounds, Chrisetta
Mosley, 38, conquered obesity to enjoy it,” she said, admitting she
ate ‘some truffles’ the night before.
with a strict regime of diet and
She uses real butter and cream, too.
exercise. She hopes to weigh
Aware that today ’ s generation has
less than 200 by age 40.
been spoon-fed a mentality of instant
gratification and quick-fixes, Mosley
Mosley sank into a dark depres­ realizes that making entire meals from
sion, popping pills and sleeping scratch may seem time-consuming,
away her misery— until one wintery but she say’s it’s worth it.
Truly making a difference in the lives of
day, a voice from within told her to
Food-wise, she urges people to
get
up,
go
outside
and
take
a
walk.
Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years.
start small by making your own salad
The
first
day
she
walked
10
min­
or seasoning from fresh vegetables
If you or someone you know has been in an accident,
utes and the next day, 20. Soon she or cooking whole foods like rice and
call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838
began noticing a change, “My mind quinoa. Shopping for healthier foods
was clear and things looked differ­ makes all the difference as well.
ently," she said, “Outside, it was
Mosley admits that what worked
We are located on the
refreshing and cathartic.”
for her may not work for others, but
comer o f MLK and Russell
Refusing to squander a replen­ she encourages those who desire a
ished mind, Mosley began making healthier mind and body to look
Street, on the second floor
adjustments in her life. In March inward, be truthful, and find a real­
above the coffee shop.
2010, she joined a gym. Soothing istic commitment.
the abrupt transition of working out,
“There is no quick-fix,” she says,
she started with water aerobics, and “This, ladies and gentlemen, is hard
soon found herself shaking off work. And the weight, it’s not magi­
weight in Zumba, making new cally coming off,” she said. “But
friends and having a blast.
nobody can tell me it’s not pos­
Pakina .Vea
Internally recharged, M osley sible.”
tr
began documenting her journey in
As an inspiration, Mosley hopes
a blog, “Farewell Fatso.” Her writ­ to continue telling her story to ev­
ing radiated a happier, healthier, and eryone who will listen. She plans to
fat-free life-style, until another sud­ be a motivational speaker, continue
Russell St
den mishap — a car ran into her in a her blog, and is currently c o ­
s
parking lot, and left her with a bro­ authoring a book called, “Farewell
ken leg - a physical setback, but Fatso.”
Taking
Cooking
Back
As an obese child, Chrisetta Mosley
knew she was destined to be different.
Now, the author to the blog 'Farewell
Fatso ’ shares her journey o f weight loss
and commitment to eating healthy.
Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC
Zchon R. Jones, DC
333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212
(503) 284-7838